Omega Protocol: Shadow Recruits
by Achaewa
Summary: Earth has had more than one space faring race. The First Civilization stood proud for eons until they were wiped out. Now humanity has risen to the challenge of conquering the stars. But space is vast and full of dangers, especially from within. OCs as main characters. A Mass Effect/Killzone crossover with elements from Aliens, Assassin's Creed, Titanfall and more.
1. Timeline

**Omega Protocol: Shadow Recruits**

**Timeline**

The majority of entries concerning Killzone and Aliens/Prometheus is copied directly - with minor alterations from their official timelines, respectively. While this story is a crossover of Mass Effect and Killzone it is also a fusion fic of numerous franchises, incorporating backstories, technology and characters from various franchises and movies.

Aliens, Assassin's Creed, Titanfall and Tom Clancy will have a large influence on this fic. Only choice technology from various movies and Star Trek will appear as well as tech from the sci-fi Call of Duty games.

Almost all timeline entries concerning Killzone is copied from the official Killzone timeline from the game's wikia, with only minor changes such as year and some omissions. I know lazy of me but this is a mega-crossover so bear with me. Some info has also been left out of the timeline as it would spoil the rest of the story.

**A Travel Through History by Neil Sagan**

**Before Common Era**

**Circa 3.2 billion BCE**: A member of the Mala'kak or Engineers, an ancient and mysterious race, sacrifices itself to seed Earth with the building blocks for intelligent life. A Prometheus giving fire to humanity against the wishes of the gods.

**Between 3.2 billion - 75.050 BCE**

The first inhabitants of Earth, The First Civilization, Those Who Came Before, or the Precursors, create the human race out of pre-existing species, making them in their own image, though smaller in size and less intelligent. The First Civilization create the Pieces of Eden, using them as a means to control humanity and turn them into their slaves. With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were looked upon as gods.

The First Civilization flourish for millennia spreading across the galaxy, terraforming, cataloguing and colonizing hospitable worlds. Slowly but steadily achieving the rank as a tier 1 civilization.

With the use of massive spaceships called "World Engines," they are able to manipulate the core of a terrestrial planet to a mass identical to Earth, modifying both atmosphere and topography for human habitation.

The epitome of First Civilization engineering was the Centerpoint Station, a massive space station capable of moving entire stars with its tractor beam. Those Who Came Before used the station to create massive multiple star systems with tens of habitable planets, or move celestial bodies into stable orbits within their star's habitable zone. A more cost efficient method than creating entire planets from scratch.

**75.050 BCE**

The First Civilization makes contact with their creators, the Mala'kak who deem them and humanity too dangerous to exist - having spread and grown at a rate faster than they had anticipated. The war between the First Civilization and the Mala'kak would rage for the next fifty years.

**75.010 BCE**

Two humans codenamed Adam and Eve, disenchanted by the use of their people as frontline troops against the Mala'kak, revolt against their First Civilization oppressors. Stealing a piece of Precursor technology called an Apple of Eden in the process. Several more humans soon follow their example unleashing a two-front war upon the First Civilization, with Eve as the leader of humanity.

**75.005 BCE**

The Mala'kak unleashes a mutagenic pathogen, composed of millions of small micro-organisms called "Black Liquid" on First Civilization colonies. There are no survivors.

**75.000 BCE**

With only Earth left standing the Mala'kak moves in for the final strike against humanity but a solar flare beats them to it. Believing that humanity has been eradicated the Mala'kak leaves for unknown space. Not known to them, less than ten thousand humans survived, and far fewer of the First Civilization.

The remaining members of the First Civilization remained in contact with the humans, who admired their knowledge and mistook them for "gods." The last of the First Civilization would go on to influence human cultures and architecture, such as the ancient pantheons.

While the First Civilization withered away during the next century, their legacy would live on for thousands of years in various myths and legends and their human descendants who received an amount of their genes in their DNA, giving them special abilities such as "Eagle Vision" and an immunity to the Pieces of Eden and the ability to use them.

**Common Era**

October 4, 1957: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite of Earth in history. Thus starting the Space Race.

April 12, 1961: The USSR opens the era of manned spaceflight, with the flight of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin.

May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the second man and first American in space. Later the same year both the Western Bloc and the USSR puts their entire industrial might into the Space Race.

**1969**

**July 21st**

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first and second men to walk on the moon and the first Humans to walk on an astronomical object other than Earth.

During their moon walk, Armstrong and Aldrin stumble upon a massive stone wall hidden on the inside of a crater, it is immediately deemed an artificial structure due to the many strange lines and symbols donning the surface.

When Aldrin touches its surface - the wall lights up and opens a door into a large vault - lit with cyan light. In the middle of the vault, on top of a pedestal lies a single sphere with symbols running across it.

What would later be known as the Lunar Apple would become the single most important artifact brought back to Earth. Within it lay the history of prehistoric humanity as well as blueprints for technological marvels and the mention of a temple on Mars. While humanity would return to the vault on the Moon five more times - expeditions to Mars is put on hold due to the ongoing Cold War.

**1971**

**January 27**

Doctor Alfred Lanning is born. He will go down in history as a pioneer in robotics and the grandfather of modern Artificial Intelligence by creating the first Positronic Brain.

**1974**

**August 12**

The Soviet Union manages to land a team of cosmonauts on the surface of the moon. While they do reach the Lunar Vault, it has long been empty due to the ransacking by American astronauts. The Space Race has officially ended.

**1982**

**April 21**

U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. abbreviated as USR is founded by Lawrence Robertson. The Chicago based company specializes in the manufacture of robots for manual labor and social services. It would later rebrand itself in 2015 as U.S. Robotics.

**1989**

**November 9**

The Berlin Wall falls, marking the final nail in the coffin of the slowly declining Soviet Union.

**2000**

**August**

The Nestor-class 1, designed by Alfred Lanning, becomes the first robots with artificial intelligence. While limited in independent functions they successfully improve work-flow and efficiency around the world.

**2015**

Alfred Lanning develops the first Artificial Intelligence that eclipses the power of a human brain.

**2020**

The militaries of the world's leading powers begin to heavily invest in drones for ground and aerial combat. The Armadyne Corporation is one of many companies to build the first mechanized soldiers for military and law enforcement use.

**2023**

Weyland Industries, a company focusing on terraforming and space exploration is founded by Peter Weyland. While their terraforming techniques are revolutionary, they still require a planet close to the mass of Earth for sustainable human life on a planetary scale.

**2025**

January 7th  
Weyland manufactures the first advanced android prototype model of its kind. He is affectionately called David, a name Sir Peter Weyland had initially reserved for his own human son. Actor Michael Fassbender lends his likeness to the model. This would start a trend of future series of androids being made in the likeness of actors - both living and deceased.

June 6th  
Weyland Industries begin their terraforming of Mars, with atmospheric pressurizers. Life is sustained through the use of large craters and canyons that the artificial atmosphere covers and is constantly replenished so that it does not thin out. In this way, a colony can be established with atmospheric and climatic features similar to those on Earth. Marina City, the largest population center on the planet is located along the banks of the Valles Marineris rift valley.

**2035**

The Logic Revolution, as it is historically called begins and ends with Detective Del Spooner's Investigation of the apparent suicide of Dr. Alfred Lanning's. When the truth is revealed a full overhaul of the Laws of Robotics commences in order for an incident like VIKI, which lay waste to large parts of major US cities, would not happen again.

**2036**

The Society is formed. Sonny, the Nestor Class 5 responsible for Dr. Lanning's death, creates a nation for the discarded Nestor robots in an isolated region of Minnesota. Creating something resembling a functioning government.

**2041**

March 16th  
The Society is discovered; Del Spooner and Dr. Susan Calvin are called in to broker negotiations as they are deemed the utmost experts on artificial intelligence. Contact between the leader of the Society; Spooner and Calvin are reunited with an old friend - Sonny who has taken up the mantle as leader of the now sapient NS class robots.

March 23rd  
The Sapients Rights Act (SRA) is laid down by both US Congress and the UN General Assembly, respectively. The law would go down in history as one of if not the most important piece of legislation in the 21st century, which was quickly adopted by numerous other nations.

Section 1 under the SRA known as the Article of Artificial Intelligence, defines a Sapient as any synthetic construct that demonstrates a level of self-awareness and intelligence matching that of a human and ensures that any such being is treated, subjected and protected by the same rights as humans.

**2050**

With the natural resources of Earth running scarce, and the continued survival of humanity at stake, it is deemed necessary to begin heavier colonization of extrasolar planets.

Most of Earth's nations form a coalition of its richest companies and governments called the United Colonial Nations **(UCN)**. Together they begin planning for humanity's future.

As it is in the UCN's best interest to support privatization for the sake of finance, they allow other companies and governments to fund their own colonization projects, but under the strictures of the UCN. Some immensely wealthy companies are able to finance their own colonization, among them the Helghan Corporation.

The UCN issue licenses to pursue colonization projects under strict criteria. Violation of these rules is considered a very serious infraction, warranting economic penalty. Continued infractions, depending on the circumstance, could result in anything from stiffer penalties, economic sanctions, and finally expulsion from the UCN to military action as a last resort.

**2060**

The colony ships begin to leave the Terran Solar System.

As colonization is still in its infancy, the UCN has not yet managed a way to skillfully deal with the massive amounts of administration necessary to deal with all these new colonies on top of their own significant requirements as a newly minted agency. They are, in a word, swamped. Relying on stiff economic penalties and overwhelming military force to keep the colonies and habitats in line.

The UCN retains a defense force levied from volunteers all across the colonies, although many still retain their own armed forces, the UCN is widely recognized to have the highest tech and best trained troops. What they don't have is numbers. The defense force is conceived as a temporary solution at best.

**2071**

The first ships, having left ten years ago, begin to arrive in the Alpha Centauri system. The system is a "hub" system between Earth and the outlying proposed colony sites and thus will come to hold great significance in the years to follow. Initially two worlds are pinpointed for colonization - a rocky world around Alpha Centauri A and a lush Eden planet around Alpha Centauri B.

The UCN reserves the colonization rights of Alpha Centauri to itself - not opening them up for competitive bidding, according to its charter responsibilities.

The UCN defense force is dissolved due to allegations of incompetence, corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency. Part of this deal is the formation of the United Colonial Army **(UCA)** now the only legally permitted military force among UCN member states and their stellar dominions.

**2076**

A cluster of six colony ships completely drop off the radar during a particularly intense solar flare. Contact cannot be re-established with them. The last transmissions from the ships seem to indicate catastrophic systems failure. At the time, all hands are presumed lost.

The loss of the colony ships is a significant financial hit for the UCN. They simply cannot afford to fund another interstellar colonization effort of the same size, and the chances of a smaller colony failing are too high. In desperation the UCN opens the bidding on the settlement rights for the Alpha Centauri system and after a highly competitive bidding process they are won by the Helghan Corporation. The post-bidding news is full of allegations of vote fixing and bribery and much is made of the fact that the corporation has a fleet of colony ships almost completed, but nothing is proven. Key to the success of the Helghan bid is underwriting and credit from the Interplanetary Banking Guild - in return for some 10% of colonial profits once the colony is established.

**2078**

The journey is difficult at best and although the cryogenic chambers work well they do not work perfectly. 2% of the total Helghan population expires en route. Upon reaching the nearest planet, Helghan, there is some dismay as scientists realize that life here will be hard. Despite enormous free-energy resources, the ecosystem on Helghan is extremely poor. A prefabricated space station is left in orbit around the planet, with volunteers who elect to stay and seed the surface with automated refineries and power generators. The rest of the ships take a chance on their dwindling resources and push on to the second planet, which they name Vekta after Helghan Corporation CEO Philip Vekta.

**2083**

Despite some rough early years and numerous occasions where the colony was almost wiped out, the initial Helghan settlers manage to make the Vektan colony secure. In addition their space station around the world of Helghan is perfectly positioned to service the ships passing through Alpha Centauri and the outer colonies to Earth. Starships come to be supplied, maintained and refueled. On top of this many tankers begin to ply the routes between Helghan and their home worlds, bringing vital energy resources that command top prices. The money starts to roll in, offsetting the need to import comforts, medical supplies and food to the space station.

**2084**

Advancement in the development of synthetics has made them completely indistinguishable from humans both physically and mentally. They can now consume human food to power their fuel cells instead of it just being a social function.

Japanese roboticist Yohji Amada, revolutionizes android design with his models being able to reproduce with humans. These hybrids while one hundred percent human would suffer none of the debilitating effects of humans, being both smarter, stronger and faster.

**2088**

Communications technology improves to the point where real-time communications are possible between Helghan and Vekta. The government on Vekta establishes the Helghan Protectorate, whereby both worlds are administered from Vekta. Helghan taxes and energy are now pouring directly into the Vektan market without going through the ISA, whilst Vekta provides Helghan with a wider and healthier variety of goods. Employment is at its highest and morale skyrockets on both worlds. A new emblem is created that is symbolic of the mutually dependent relationship between Helghan and Vekta. Three interlinked arms labeled Peace, Justice and Freedom.

**2089**

Archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discover a star map among several unconnected ancient cultures. They interpret this as an invitation from humanity's forerunners, or "Engineers". Peter Weyland, the elderly CEO of Weyland Corporation, funds the creation of the scientific vessel Prometheus to follow the map to the distant moon LV-223. The ship's crew travels in stasis while the android David monitors their voyage.

**2090**

Roughly 12 colonies are founded during the years 2079 to 2090. Vekta, roughly Earth-sized, is an agrarian and idyllic world, full of natural splendor and lushly forested, an Eden. Agricultural production skyrockets on Vekta with the colony quickly becoming able to feed itself.

As the first colonies get underway the United Colonial Army discovers that communications does not allow it to efficiently manage colonial defense from a central headquarters. In response the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance **(ISA)** is created, to allow systems with varying degrees of integration to enjoy membership of a unified defense alliance. The UCN provides backup, training and equipment with personnel and budget determined solely by the funds their Colonial Administration, respectively.

**2093**

**April 5th  
**Second generation Med Pods are able to cure cancer.

**December 21st  
**The Prometheus arrives at LV-223, after two years and four months of travel, where they are informed of their mission to find the Engineers. Mission director Meredith Vickers orders them to avoid making direct contact. The Prometheus lands near a large artificial structure and a team is sent to explore.

**2094**

**January 1  
**The Prometheus expedition is declared lost with its entire crew unaccounted for. Only a final transmission from Elizabeth Shaw cast some light on the events that transpired and a warning against coming to the planet. She is never heard from again.

Meredith Vickers having sent an undercover android in her place takes over the Weyland Corporation and acquires the rival Yutani Corporation - thus forming the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.

**2095**

**February 3rd  
**Major world powers independent of the United Colonial Nations such as the Russian Federation, People's Republic of China, Iran and India begin their own colonization of the Orion-Cygnus Arm.

**2100**

Weyland-Yutani sends another expedition to LV-223 in order to cast light on the events that took place on the rocky moon. The expedition manage to salvage the heavily damaged Vickers android and extract the data within its processing unit. The extracted data finally sheds light on what happened to the Peter Weyland's failed venture six years ago.

Upon return all known planets with Engineer temples are put under quarantine by the collective Earth governments. With only a few choice personnel allowed to study these ancient precursors.

Though research into the use of Mala'kak technology and bioengineering is continued by some in secret.

**2102**

With the increasing complexity of managing the colonies on Helghan and Vekta the Helghan Corporation, having grown exceedingly more powerful through the years, decides to set itself up as a civil administration. This expanded charter allows it to take over all local administration duties from the ISA, levy taxes against the entire population and reorganize all social services, however they are still bound by strict ISA regulations on ship construction, orbital industries and the establishment of new colonies on their worlds.

**2105**

The Helghan government turns in a significant tax-surplus in each budget, stockpiling the money away in case of disaster. By 2105 this stockpile has grown to such sums that the Helghan Administration makes an offer to the ISA to purchase the entire Alpha-Centauri system, allowing them to avoid sending their yearly tithe to Earth in favor of a fee paying system for individual services, such as support of the local ISA Command.

The UCN, which would have normally outright rejected the offer, is currently cash poor, with other colonial endeavors costing them heavily. The idea of getting a big cash payout up front followed by negotiable fees with no requirement for the UCN to underwrite any colonial costs is too attractive to refuse and so the UCN Senate votes to go forward with the Helghan/Vektan purchase by a majority.

**2106 - 2149**

Free to invest and tax in their colonies as they wish a period of runaway economic and industrial growth grips the Helghan Administrations two worlds. The automated refineries on Helghan are expanded and developed; the orbital shipyard becomes the largest orbital structure outside the Terran system. The Helghan system is a "hub system" that connects Earth to its colonies - every ship must travel through Helghan to get anywhere. The Helghan Administration begins to charge each ship for the privilege, allegedly a fee for traffic control, customs, search and rescue, and other such services. In reality, it is a thinly disguised tariff upon all trade in space. Helghan based ships are granted a residence permit that frees them from some charges, encouraging some shipping companies to relocate.

Tensions: 2148  
The UCN grows concerned at the increasing domination that Helghan is exerting over star travel and space trade, traditionally under UCN control. They also become frustrated that the Helghan are creating vast wealth off the backs of colonial endeavors that the UCN itself has underwritten. It levies stricter controls and tariffs on all space traffic and taxes the colonies more heavily than ever before, using the money to expand its armed forces. For the first time the UCA develops large scale troop transports and new heavy cruisers- warships clearly designed principally to smash the ISA fleets of the outer colonies and invade them by force.

As part of these new regulations several privileges granted to the Helghan Administration as part of the Helghan/Vektan Purchase are rescinded, specifically the right to a large home fleet and tariffs on shipping. The Helghan Administration refuses, but does agree to high-level talks on a compromise. Back home, however, the wealthy people of Vekta and the powerful companies in orbit around Helghan pressure the Helghan Administration not to budge on the issues of tariffs or self-defense.

Secession: 2149  
Despite multiple attempts to negotiate a settlement, the talks between the UCN and Earth fail to bring a mutually satisfactory resolution. Earth flat out demands compliance from the Helghan Administration and the Helghan Administration responds by formally seceding from the UCN, declaring itself an independent colony.

The UCN considers retaliation by slamming an embargo on trade with Helghan, but this is deemed to be counterproductive, the Helghan would simply prevent any trade ships reaching Earth resulting in heavy financial losses. The decision is made to send a powerful UCA fleet to seize control of the navigation points between the colonies and Earth in the Helghan system. Protecting the flow of colonial trade to Earth would allow a blockade of Helghan itself by the UCN and bring this matter to a resolution.

**2122**

July 3rd  
The crew of the Nostromo, under contract to Weyland-Yutani, are awakened from hypersleep to investigate a signal coming from the moon Acheron (LV-426). There, one of the crew members encounters unknown alien eggs and a parasitic creature attaches itself to him. The resulting alien that bursts from the crew member kills off all Nostrum personnel until it is defeated by Ellen Ripley. This marks the second time humanity has made contact with an alien race.

**2148**

The First Civilization Temple on Mars are found within the Cydonia region. Inside the temple scientists find another artifact, immediately dubbed the "Antediluvian Apple", as it is the oldest discovered First Civilization relic. Within the Apple lies the coordinates to a cluster of several star systems created by Those Who Came Before as a gift for humanity when they had once again reached the stars. The only problem being that its location is 120 light years away and with the fastest matter-antimatter propulsion systems it would take around thirty years to reach.

Numerous colony ships sets off to settle this region of space that everyone has decided to call the "Frontier." Each ship containing hundreds of millions, some wanting to escape the rule of their respective nation and others seeking a new beginning among the stars.

**2149: First Extrasolar War**

As the situation worsens, the Helghan Administration attempts to first co-opt and then expel all ISA forces from Vekta and Helghan. The ISA Marines and Navy respond with lethal force and a number of skirmishes erupt on and around the two colony worlds. Despite their overwhelming numeric superiority, Helghan troops are poorly equipped, trained and inexperienced and many ISA forces escape the initial fighting. The experienced ISA troops and ships scatter to conduct hit and run operations from hidden bases.

2151  
The UCA Navy fleet dispatched in 2149 arrives at the Helghan system, hooking up with the local ISA ships and quickly moves to secure the navigational points. The main force of the fleet heads to the planet Helghan itself, to blockade it, but the massed custom fleets of the Helghan Administration attempt to break the blockade by engaging the UCA Navy in battle.

The UCA cruisers prove to be untouchable by the much smaller Helghan vessels and the fleet action is a massacre, with almost the entire Helghan fleet destroyed or disabled. During the fighting, however, the planets massive orbital structure is destroyed under mysterious circumstances.

The UCA claim that the Helghan aboard the station fled to the planet below and sabotaged it to prevent it from falling into UCA hands. The Helghan Administration claim that the UCA fired on the station deliberately. The true story never emerges but, as a result of it the Helghan Authority declares war on the UCN.

The UCA Navy fleet decides that dropping directly onto Helghan would be a waste of resources and lives, leaving a small fleet to watch the planet, they push on to Vekta.

2152: End of the First Extrasolar War  
The combined ISA and UCA Navy fleet arrives around Vekta and quickly subdues the remnants of the Helghan Customs Service in orbit. Initially the Helghan Administration threatens to fight to the last man, but after a devastating demonstration of orbital bombardment they quickly yield to the inevitable. The Helghan Administration is shut down, all senior civil servants are arrested, as are any executives of the Helghan Corporation. Many escape into hiding.

When the courier ship returns from Alpha Centauri with the news the UCN Senate debates the matter, eventually determining that the Helghan are too unruly to ever settle comfortably within the UCN, but also that the ISA needs a colony nearby to keep an eye on them and stop them from causing trouble in the future. A decision of debatable fairness is drafted and a broken Helghan Administration can do little more than rubber stamp it. The local ISA takes over administration of Vekta. New colony ships of loyal UCN civilians are sent from Earth to expand the Vektan colony.

The harsh consequences of rebellion are not lost on the other colonies, the UCN's right to regulate and tax space shipping is never challenged again.

2152 - 2154: The Resistance  
Helghan extremists begin a terrorist campaign in an attempt to make the occupation of Vekta too expensive for the ISA. Although the majority of Vektan Helghan simply want to live out their lives peacefully, sufficient numbers of the local populace assist the guerrilla movement to enable it to flourish. Bombings, ambushes and shootings against the UCN minority become more common. Vekta is no longer an innocent paradise.

**2154**

**February 13  
**Third generation Med Pods cure last known human disease, a cure for the common flu though remains undiscovered.

**2154 - 2160: The Exodus**

The ISA governor of Vekta responds to the growing terrorism by clamping down harder and harder on the local Helghan population. Finally, in desperation, many prominent Helghan families pool their wealth to purchase the old colonizing ships and get them space worthy again, the community appoints a spokesman to speak with the ISA governor and request permission for the Helghan people to resettle on Helghan, joining those few souls who escaped from the transfer station there. The ISA agrees and the Helghan exodus begins, shuttling millions of disaffected Helghan colonists from Vekta to the growing Helghan colonies.

Neither the ISA nor the UCN want to foot the bill for establishing this colony, preferring to leave the Helghan to either survive or die on their own merits. In order to legitimize this action, the UCN formally recognizes the Helghan Administration as a sovereign nation and declares the planet of Helghan to be their territory in perpetuity - subject to ISA blockades and restrictions until diplomatic relations are normalized.

**2165 - 2170: Surface of Helghan Settled**

The bleak existence on Helghan is a far cry from the paradise of Vekta. Initial casualties due to illness, storm damage and starvation are very high. Within ten years, though, the death rate subsides as the Helghan begin to adapt to their surroundings. Slowly a civilization arises from the refugee camps and token Helghan industry and food production starts again.

In 2170 the heads of the various refugee camps come together for the first time to reform the Helghan Administration. 90% of the Refugee camps agree to collectivize their resources and labor in order to cooperate in the rebuilding of their civilization.

Disturbing medical problems are found to be common throughout the colony, exotic radiation and storms have serious effects on the longevity of the human being. Medical support from the ISA is non-existent and indigenous facilities are too primitive. The wearing of masks for those who work in the outdoors becomes mandatory. Mask wearing becomes the sign of having a working class profession. Even with masks, Lung Burn (as the settlers call it) becomes the primary cause of death among Helghan over the age of thirty.

On a more positive note, however, vast mineral resources are discovered by the settlers, mining fast becoming one of the more common jobs on Helghan.

**2173: Helghan Approached by ICSA**

As the colony on Helghan begins to reform the Helghan Administration and secure the basic infrastructure and facilities needed for life again, the Independent Colonial Strategic Alliance approaches them offering membership and support. The ICSA is an unaligned version of the ISA, created to allow independent worlds to have some sort of support. Despite the ICSA making few demands and offering much help, the Helghan are now paranoid of all outside influences and motivations and strongly decline the offer.

**2173 - 2305: Early Helghan Era**

ISA trade sanctions force the Helghast to trade on unfavorable terms for over a decade and initial growth of wealth is slow, despite the unexpected addition of a trade in minerals. Life is short, hard and painful for the majority of Helghans as they fight to cope with poor nutrition, poor environment and grueling work conditions and practices. Frequent austerity drives and a Spartan approach to existence allow the Helghan to survive, and even profit, under these harsh conditions, but the more things improve the more the Helghan become angry at the restrictions imposed upon them by the ISA which are meekly accepted by the cowed Helghan Authority.

**2176**

March 3rd  
After years of travel the colony ships finally reach the Frontier. What they soon find out the Antediluvian Apple did not mention is that the region is located within a cloud of ionized space later dubbed the Daedalus Mists, that heavily distorts navigational systems and radio signals. Creating a natural border isolating the Frontier from the rest of the Galaxy.

Several ships break off from the main fleet to settle their own region of Frontier space.

July 4th: Founding of the United Colonial Nations as a Stellar Nation  
After years of being the outer space representative of the majority of Earth's nations the United Colonial Nations suggest the merging of all member states into one unified government. The question of unification is put at a referendum and on July 4th 2176 the United Colonial Nations is declared the sole representative of all its members both on Earth and in Space.

**2179**

Ellen Ripley, after having spent decades in hypersleep, accompanies a group of United States Colonial Marines aboard the USS Sulaco to investigate LV-426, after Weyland-Yutani loses contact with a terraforming colony there. They discover that Aliens have overrun the colony and encounter an Alien queen. Ripley, Corporal Dwayne Hicks, android Bishop and the sole surviving colonist, a young girl named Rebecca Jorden, are the only survivors after the colony's atmosphere processing station explodes, and enter hypersleep for the return trip to Earth.

Upon her return Ellen Ripley, Dwayne Hicks and the android Bishop would all serve as key figures in the uncovering of corporate crimes committed by Weyland-Yutani.

**2198**

Major and minor population centers dots numerous planets within the Frontier. A gathering of its major powers determine that contact with the rest of humanity should be put on hold until their combined military forces are strong enough to stave off a potential invasion. Especially from the UCN whom the majority of colonists fled from. Together the people of the Frontier forms the United Systems Alliance, partially modeled after the old United States of America with heavy influence from both Canada and the European countries that makes up the majority within the Frontier. With time the Alliance would prove to be a major player in Galactic politics.

Due to the logistical difficulties of reaching the Frontier, the governments of Earth begrudgingly accept the United Systems as a sovereign state.

**2212**

After decades of setbacks scientists discover a way to fold space and time. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at apparent speeds greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time dilation. A warp drive does not permit instantaneous travel between two points; instead, warp drive technology creates an artificial "bubble" of normal space-time around the spacecraft allowing it to accelerate at speeds greater than light. With the invention of warp drives, faster than light communication is finally possible.

Trade is established between the Frontier and the Core Systems.

**2222**

Explorers in the Frontier discover a First Civilization temple underneath the glaciers of the ice planet Arlathan. What they discover would later go down in history as the "Cube," a device containing a massive catalogue of First Civilization technology.

In a show of goodwill the United Systems shares the information contained within the cube with Earth, though many speculates that they have kept a large portion of data for themselves. A vital piece of information within the Cube are the schematics for faster warp drives and more advanced methods of FTL communication allowing for instantaneous communication throughout all of human settled space.

**2304**

Several of the richer ISA forces begin construction of elaborate Orbital Defense facilities in favor of maintaining an extensive fleet. The Vektan ISA high command decides to stand down the blockade of Helghan in favor of a smaller customs fleet and its own Orbital Defense network around Vekta.

**2305**

The newest generation of indigenous Helghan are born. Helped along by basic genetic conditioning and the harsh environment they are more suited to the heavy gravity, immune to the planets pollutants and more resistant to the higher radiation levels.

**2307**

The man who would one day be Autarch is born to a wealthy family of radical Helghan nationalists. Rumored to be descended from one of the original Helghan Directors, Scolar Visari shows great early promise as a thinker and leader.

**2330 - 2350: Helghan Depression**

Vekta's monopoly of the Helghan trade allows them to develop great wealth at the expense of reinvestment on Helghan. As the Helghan population increases, more and more of their own wealth is diverted to the feeding and protection of their civilians, this leads to a series of industrial accidents where expensive machinery is not serviced sufficiently to cope with the harsh Helghan conditions. The resulting downtime whilst Helghan pays for the servicing, maintenance and replacement of its old machinery causes a severe economic downturn that lasts almost 20 years.

Helghan economists blame the depression on selfish Vektan exploiters. Vekta has its own troubles with the collapse of the lucrative black-market trade in Helghan minerals and energy and can spare no resources for a relief effort. For the first time since 2220, Helghans die of starvation in the cities.

**2340 - 2357: Helghan Era**

The tough conditions finally spawn social and economic change. Forced to adapt to a situation so tough that mere humans could never survive it, a charismatic new leader pronounces the birth of the Helghast people: a people no longer human, with a bold drive and vision to succeed.

2340 - 2347: Rise of Visari  
With the economy in the abyss and Helghan morale on an all time low, a singular and remarkable figure rises to prominence: Scolar Visari, the eventual self-proclaimed Autarch of Helghan. Visari's ideology is simple and compelling: the Helghan people had once come here as humans, but they are humans no longer. They are different, changed. Changed cosmetically in their travels, changed physically by their residence on the alien planet of Helghan, changed spiritually by the hardships they've endured in every circumstance. The government that has brought them to this end could only give them structure; it could not give them life, could not give them a reason to go on, and could not fully express the magnitude of the transformation. The world has changed us, Visari claims, and now it is our turn to change the world.

Visari's oratorical skill and magnetic personality draws many of the disaffected public to his cause. It spreads among them like wildfire and galvanizes them in a single recognition: that they are one people, one nation, united against all aggressors. More significantly, perhaps, Visari is the first to give voice to what will later become the keystone of the Helghast agenda: their identity as an entirely new and entirely superior race. The 'extra-human' race. He goes on to preach the militaristic, absolutist values that will become the trademark of the Helghast. More importantly, he transforms the value of mask-wearing, once a badge of low station and makes it integral to Helghan identity. There is nothing shameful in its history, Visari tells the people. It is testament to their fortitude to wear the mask. And the Helghan rally around him, rich and poor alike.

2347: Birth of the Helghast  
Visari coins the term "Helghast" in a public speech. Its purported origin is from the Old English word, "gast", meaning "spirit", or "ghost", connoting great fear. Visari states that they are no longer what they once were. Where they were once human and spiritless, their generations on Helghan, their sufferings; these have forged them into a new race, the only truly 'living' race. Whatever the etymology, the name sticks.

Feigning an attempt on his life to garner public support, Visari leads a military coup backed by a popular uprising to assume the title of autarch. He seizes unrestricted power from the Helghan Administration and begs the army for 10 years of unchallenged authority to reforge the Helghast into a true independent power.

As part of his plan, Visari begins a major enlargement of the Helghast military. A secondary aspect of the Helghast revolution is a cultural evolution, led personally by Visari to change the face of Helghan society. Visari bans the use of written English in 2349, devising a new Helghast alphabet to be used in its place. Plans for an entirely new Helghast language are never fully implemented due to the logistical difficulties, but the ideal of this linguistic separation remain dear to Visari. As a final touch, the old Helghan banner is dropped in favor of a simpler, starker and more dynamic logo. The Helghast Triad becomes the official banner of Helghan: three arrows representing Duty, Obedience and Loyalty signal the new values that Helghast society is based upon.

2350: New Helghan Economy  
Starting with low level smuggling operations but gradually building up in scale, the Helghast begin breaking the ISA embargo of their world to trade directly to black-market suppliers. At first the trade is exclusively to the Vektan energy market, but slowly Visari encourages off-world agents to source their power from Helghan. The whittled down ISA fleet is powerless to do more than put a dent in the trade, and some factions on Vekta question whether the Helghan blockade is even needed at this point. The Helghast rebuild their transfer station, albeit on a more modest scale than before, and trade starts to take off. The depression officially ends when the Helghast secure a contract with the ICSA for energy and materials. The deal is mutually beneficial, and both parties gain immensely from it.

The ISA governor does not increase funding to the ISA Navy, making the issue of containment a moot point.

**2356**

Concerned by the Helghast military build up, the ISA governor orders the construction of an additional orbital defense platform to complement the 52 year old defense network already in place. ISA General Stuart Adams is appointed the military commander of the network.

**2357 - 2360: Second Extrasolar War**

Swollen with pride and new strength the Helghast embark on a bold plan of conquest to rejoin the two halves of the Alpha Centauri system and rebuild their great empire. Their gamble fails and their armies on Vekta are defeated, leading to their worst nightmare: the invasion of Helghan itself. But does Visari have a trick up his sleeve?

2357: Plans for invasion  
Autarch Scolar Visari outlines his bold strategy for changing the face of governance in this system by returning to Vekta and seizing it again as a Helghast colony. Ignoring the many generations of UCN settlement under the ISA he inflames the passions of the Helghast for revenge. The Helghast High Command takes the bait and eagerly declares loyalty to Visari for the coming campaign, offering to make him emperor if it succeeds.

2357: Second Extrasolar War is Declared  
Visari's plan works like clockwork. Deep cover ISA agents Generals Adams and Stratson send word that their plans are in place. Visari sends most of his fleet after the ISA Navy, and a second fleet to invade Vekta.

Early warning is given by a UCA scouting force, but word doesn't reach the ISA in time to prevent the bloodbath in space. The UCN votes unanimously to dispatch a heavy fleet of UCA reinforcements to Vekta, to prevent the destabilization of the entire sector.

August  
The invasion incurs casualties on both sides. It is only with the help of four unlikely heroes, led by Jan Templar, that Vekta City does not fall. The Helghast have been thwarted but a sizable contingent is still present on the planet.

Helghast General Lente is killed by his former chief of staff, Colonel Gregor Hakha, and the ground campaign is disrupted as a result. The ISA traitor who enabled the Helghast to invade Vekta, General Adams, is also killed when Templar and crew sabotage the orbital platform to prevent its ambush of the UCA fleet from Earth, which arrives in a timely fashion. General Stratson manages to keep his cover intact.

September  
The ISA Council stops the development of the second orbital defense platform as a result of the Helghast capture of the first one. General Dwight Stratson proposes a nuclear program to purge the remaining and regrouping Helghast from Vekta. The suggested nuclear weapons are being prepared in Rayhoven base, but require ISA Council approval to use in the field.

Helghast General Metrac arrives on Vekta and takes command of the remaining forces. Establishing a stronghold in southern Vekta, the Helghast are gaining ground again.

October  
Helghast General Metrac attacks the ISA base at Rayhoven where the ISA Council is voting for the use of General Stratson's proposed nuclear plan.

Meanwhile, Captain Jan Templar is sent to reinforce the troops at Rayhoven. Together with Sergeant Rico Velasquez, he destroys Metrac's base. Stratson is unmasked. However, the Helghast now possess the nuclear weapons developed for them by General Stratson, as well as numerous other high-tech weapons stolen from the facilities of weapons researcher Evelyn Batton.

2358: End of Conflict

January  
The remaining Helghast on Vekta are retreating. Shipping their troops and materials back to Helghan.

Sergeant Velasquez's team is assigned to retrieve vital ISA information from an escaping Helghast cruiser. They discover that Metrac and his forces are about to strike back with one massive attack. The last decisive battle of Vekta is fought in the northern plains.

All the Helghast forces on Vekta are destroyed. Vekta is secured. The UCN recalls their fleet and the ISA is given two order: The restore the Helghan blockade and full cooperation with a Judge Advocate General's inquisition team when it arrives to investigate the matter.

March  
With the Helghan forces on Vekta shattered a council is called at Vekta City to decide the best policy for the further pursuit of the War against the Helghast to its conclusion. The Council quickly establishes a working list of priorities: Neutralize Helghast as a military threat, capture Autarch Visari for public trial and establish a more easily controlled regime on Helghan.

These priorities are in clear violation of the UCN orders given before their withdrawal, but the Council becomes concerned that the UCN wishes to blame past decisions regarding treatment of the Helghast upon them

September  
The Vektan ISA prepares for the invasion of Helghan in what will prove to be one of the most complex military actions in human history.

2359: Invasion of Helghan

November  
Twelve battle groups arrive at Helghan. ISA Cruiser New Sun is the flagship of the fleet, under the command of war hero Colonel Jan Templar. Battle Group Mandrake is deployed to Pyrrhus with orders to seize the capital city, hopefully capturing Visari in the process, as it is one of the primary population bases as well as a center of trade for the planet.

Starships of the ISA Navy and Helghast fleet engage each other in orbit. The ISA outclasses the Helghast significantly and quickly establishes a total orbital blockade, but suffer heavy losses to anti-orbital cannons stationed in Pyrrhus.

At this point, the ISA Council reaffirms its decision to break the UCA orders to simply isolate the Helghast and launch their invasion. Channels are cleared for planetside troop deployment and the way is made clear for the invasion. Negotiations are no longer a possibility

The helghast having spent the past two years preparing for the coming invasion, are determined to hold their home. In a slow, brutal urban war, the ISA slowly advance into the Empires' capitol, with both sides taking heavy casualties. However, once most of the city is conquered, the bulk of the ISA invasion is annihilated by the nuclear weapon Red Dust, detonated directly over the heart of Pyrrhus, where the majority of the ISA troops were preparing for an advance into the Imperial Palace. A small ISA contingent under the command of Captain Narville managed to avoid the nuclear explosion entirely, due to being situated outside the capital city in the Helghan desert wastes while conducting rescue operations. This small contingent gathered any surviving troops and launched a desperate, all-out attack on Visari's Palace in an attempt to capture the dictator.

After a brutal battle between Visari's Palace Guard and the remaining ISA forces, the Helghast forces were driven back to the massive entrance of the Palace where they fought, and died, to the last man. This allowed two members of the elite ISA unit Alpha Squad to storm Visari Palace itself. There, Colonel Radec, leader of the Helghast defense of Pyrrhus, and Visari's remaining bodyguard contingent were killed, and the two ISA soldiers entered Visari's throne to finally place him under arrest.

Unfortunately, Alpha Squad Sergeant Rico shoots Visari. Soon after, a massive Helghast fleet launches a surprise attack on the remaining ISA cruisers, forcing the ISA into retreat while destroying the remnants of the ISA's starship contingent. Thus, the surviving remnant of the ISA invasion were stranded on Helghan, desperately trying to find a way to escape.

It is unknown what the other Battle Groups were tasked with while Battle Group Mandrake assaulted Pyrrhus, or what happened to them after that and why they were unable to assist the survivors of Mandrake. Presumably, these Battle Groups simply withdrew back to Vekta once the orders for ceasefire were given, not being in such dire straits as the troops of Battle Group Mandrake.

2360: Helghast Invasion of Earth thwarted

May  
The small ISA remnant finally manage to escape Helghan after heavy fighting across the planet, six months after Visari's death. Eventually, the ISA forces board a Helghast space station and hijack several strike fighters while the Helghast forces destined for the invasion of Earth were plunged into civil war over who was to be Visari's successor. The ISA remnant use the fighters to destroy the experimental cruiser of Helghast corporate chairman Jorhan Stahl, who planned to bombard Earth with hundreds of irradiated petrusite warheads, thus killing or irradiating millions of people on the UCN capital world and causing the UCN to capitulate. The experimental cruiser's destructive payload was detonated over Helghan due to secondary explosions, irradiating the entire planet, decimating it's population, and obliterating the remains of the Helghast fleet destined for Earth. Managing to avoid the cataclysmic explosion in time, the remaining ISA troops onboard the hijacked strike fighters make their way back to Vekta.

**2360: Cold War**

After the destruction of Helghan, the survivors of the so called Terracide are offered refuge on Vekta. However, the survivors largely refused to integrate with humanity's culture, and most Vektans are appalled at the thought of ceding half their world to the enemy. Quickly, violence becomes common wherever humans and helghast interact. As such the Helghast and ISA have walled themselves off from each other in a joint effort with hopes of it maintaining the peace. Soon after the Wall is completed, the Helghast forcibly evict all humans and half-breeds out of their territory, killing any who resist the order. Now, with the cities and territories of the two nations separated from each other by massive walls that divide the entire planet, an uneasy peace is formed. However, Human-Helghast racial resentments linger still, with half breeds suffering most of the wrath.

Some manage to escape to the United Systems Alliance, where tensions from the Extrasolar Wars are non-existent.

**2365 - 2375: The Titan Wars**

The Titan Wars would mark the first major war in United Systems history as they fought against the independent Earth nations led by Peoples Republic of China and the Russian Federation over sovereignty in the Frontier.

The war saw the largest deployment of Titan Mechs in history as battles stretched across Frontier worlds in brutal urban combat. In the end the United Systems managed to push out their invaders and solidify their position within the star cluster. Many point to the war as the sole reason behind the militarization of the United Systems Starfleet as the conflict saw more deaths than both Extrasolar Wars.

**2376: Humanity Discovers Mass Effect Physics**

Humanity discovers a small cache of highly advanced unknown non-First Civilization technology hidden deep beneath the surface of the south polar region of a faraway colony. Building on the remnants of this long extinct race, humans quickly explore the science of mass effect fields, leading to the development of an alternate faster than light travel. While it has serious setbacks not found in warp technology, such as static build up, and runs on a limited resource. Mass effect technology does find its use in industrial engineering, construction and the civilian market.

Warp factors above five are restricted for military craft. The fact that even the cheapest warp drive is ten times more expensive than an element zero core ensures that only the richest of individuals and corporations can afford warp capable ships.

**2386 - 2388: The Frontier Crisis**

The Frontier Crisis were a series of armed conflicts between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and the Frontier Militia composed of independent colonists in the cluster. The crisis saw a large deployment of Titans and once and for all certified their efficiency during the urban combat at the height of the conflict.

The crisis came to an abrupt halt in January 2388 when the United Systems forced both parties to sign a peace treaty. The independent colonies would later become part of the United Systems. Not all joined willingly though and hostilities first came to an end in late December.

**2390**

Peace between the Vektans and Helghast is fragile and tensions are at an all time high. War seems to be just one stone's throw away with both sides waiting with baited breaths for the first instigator.

Meanwhile the United Systems Alliance watches from a distance. A neutral player standing at a crossroads and whichever path they choose to follow. Will change the face of the Galaxy.

June 7th  
Explorers of the People's Republic of China discover a mass relay near a colony of theirs named Shanxi.


	2. Chapter 1: Aliens!

**Omega Protocol: Shadow Recruits  
Chapter 1: Aliens!**

Here it is, first chapter of my massive fusion fic and let me first apologize for the large codex entries which I promise will gradually disappear and be replaced by in-story exposition. Let me just make it clear though, The United Systems Alliance will serve as the protagonists of this story and yes some parts of their codex entry is lifted from the wikipedia entries of Star Treks Federation, Canada and the Nordic Model of economy. Again sorry but I'm too lazy to make social and economic information up in my head.

A word of warning though. This story features Original Characters as its main cast with characters from both Killzone and Mass Effect making appearances throughout, with both minor and major changes to their character due to the new timeline. So if you're not a big fan of OCs this story probably won't be to your liking.

This will not be a humanity makes nice with the Quarians and gives them a nifty planet to settle down upon. Synthetics are simply too ingrained in human culture, that it is not something that they'll just get rid of because others say so. We will also not have the instant AI/Asari google translation for alien languages. No it will take some time before characters can understand each other.

Also in order to outweigh human badassery and level the playing field. They are unable to have Biotics.

Last but not least, since I'm not a native English speaker I would greatly appreciate it if you would point out grammatical mistakes for me. Anyway I hope you'll enjoy reading the story.

* * *

_**"We've outgrown such silly superstitions as believing in an almighty being in the sky. Now Xenu! We all know he is the true god." - Unknown Scientologist, year 2133.**_

**February 21, 2391  
Thellia, Wen Kroy  
Ariadne system  
United Systems Alliance  
**Wen Kroy the city of lights and spires, with mile high sky scrapers dotting its skyline and a population of one hundred million, it is the most populous city in the United Systems. New York on Speed or New York Turned Up to Eleven is what the locals call it.

A clean, safe and peaceful city if you like cameras on every street corner and police droids armed with automatic weapons patrolling the streets. Despite the extremely tall skyscrapers the city is well lit and good urban planning has ensured that its well run and public transport is efficient.

From space major cities on Thellia dots its surface as massive rings of light, each connected by ribbons of city lights. All stretching across the planet in an intricate pattern that allows wildlife and nature to coexist with urban sprawl. Still despite being the most populous planet with the largest cities in the Frontier. Thellia is but the habitable planet orbiting the fourth star in the quintuple star system of Ariadne. Culturally and politically significant, but not the capital.

The 500 Galactica is the tallest residential skyscraper in Wen Kroy, with a height of two kilometers one could look over the entire city from the buildings penthouse. One such person did just that, he was clad in simple blue jeans and a simple white shirt. One side tucked into his pants. His arm leaning against the window. A glass of amber liquid in the other. His hair was black, his eyes were violet, his features handsome with just enough of a mix between East Asian and Caucasian that he could pass for both.

The bedroom he stood in was dark. Illuminated by the light of the moon. It was raining outside. Only the occasional sound of thunder interrupted the patter of rain. He stood watching the lights of the city beneath him. Cargo ships taking off in the distance and the light klaxon from vehicles thousands of feet below. He was brought out of his quiet musings when his phone rang.

"This is Kusanagi," he answered before emptying his glass. Grimacing slightly from the burning sensation in his throat.

"Uhuh... I see," The man sighed before making his way to the dresser. Discarding his clothes and putting on a pair of dark green cargo pants and a matching officers jacket. Last he took his gun and placed it in his shoulder holster. He took one glance at the sleeping form in his bed, knowing she would leave in the morning. The man then walked to elevator for the long ride down to the lobby. On the ride down he placed a headset in his left ear. Calling the one person he knew would be awake at this time.

"_State your name, rank and file please,"_ Greeted the mechanical voice of the secured line.

"Major Shinichi Kusanagi. Agent Alpha One Tango. Request contact with Echo Delta India Six."

"_Confirmed Major. Your line is secured."_

"_Major it's six thirty in the morning, never took you for an early riser," _a warm female voice greeted him.

"Nice to hear you too EDI and I am when I need to. I know shore leave is first over in a week, but we have to cut it short. Orders directly from Olympus. So you better wake Joker and gather the crew. I expect full combat readiness at 0800. Meet you at the dock."

"_Of course Major. Over and out."_

Shinichi tapped his headset and gave a slight smile. "Just another day at the office," he muttered. He did a quick brass check before exiting the elevator. He waved his ID badge at a squad of police drones before taking a taxi to the spaceport.

"_**We have finally reached the stage of human evolution where we are able to look like Final Fantasy characters" - Unknown Transhumanist, year 2133**_

Shinichi Kusanagi lazily waved his ID as he walked through the spaceport customs check towards the enclosed military area. He nodded at the greetings from passing soldiers as he walked towards the landing bay.

The Bucephalus was a majestic ship. A modern version of the old Heliades-class like the USCSS Prometheus. The Bucephalus had been retrofitted as both a science vessel and stealth ship. While capable of limited orbital bombardment and space combat it primarily relies on its fast warp drive and maneuverability to run from combat before it happens. Perfect for clandestine operations. Perfect for the kind of organization that Major Kusanagi and his crew is part of.

As Shinichi approached the lowered cargo bay he could see his crew of twenty already standing at attention with his second in command EDI waiting for him.

"EDI," he greeted with a weak salute giving the android a lopsided smile. "I see that you're still using the Tricia Helfer model."

"If it ain't broke Major. Don't fix it," EDI replied. "Now I believe that the crew are anxious to hear the reason behind the abrupt end to their shore leave."

"Sure EDI, retract the cargo bay and I'll tell you all." EDI didn't move a muscle as she remotely retracted the cargo bay into the Bucephalus.

"At ease people. Now I'm sure you're all curious why your vacation has been cut short..." Shinichi stopped as his 1st lieutenant and pilot had raise his hand. "Yes Joker?"

"Was it a Cylon attack?" Joker said, tipping his trademark pilot cap in a salute.

"No Joker it was not a Cylon attack and killer robots from space. No matter how awesome. Do not exist. Now shut the fuck up and let me finish before I restrict you to decaf for the rest of the tour."

"Great. May as well serve it in the airlock. Hard ass," the lieutenant replied while elbowing crewman Rolston in jest. Making him chuckle. Chief engineer Adams facepalmed.

"Now where was I." Shinichi brushed a hand through his hair and took a breath before standing beside EDI. At six foot he was only an inch taller than her. "Two weeks ago the Peoples Republic of China found an inactive mass relay. They chose to reactivate it and took five ships through. Only one returned. It was heavily damaged and managed to reach the nearest colony Shanxi. There the ships only survivor. An android managed to bring back a warning." Shinichi quickly rubbed his eyes before continuing.

"The Chinese have made first contact with a hostile alien race. A race that from all evidence is intelligent and well versed in warfare. One week ago a distress signal was received from Shanxi and one day later all contact with the colony ceased." The entire crew stood still. Even Joker. While there had been major military conflicts besides the first and second Extrasolar-Wars it had always been between humans.

"We will travel to the system closest to Shanxi. Rendezvous with battle group Manticore and make contact with the USS Harrington. The United Systems together with the UCN has agreed to aid the Chinese in liberating their planet. While you will see combat. We are not part of the liberation force. Our primary objective is to assess the enemy and find out how big a threat they are to the US. This is a direct order from president Ryan himself. Now prepare for your battle stations we'll be leaving this rock in ten."

"MOVE IT!" Exclaimed EDI before the dazed crew scrambled toward the elevator.

Shinichi and Kelly Chambers - the Bucephalus' counselor - were the last to take the elevator to the bridge.

"What was her name?" Kelly broke the silence.

"What?"

"Her name Major?" Kelly repeated.

"Ehm... Oriona... Oriana. Yes," Shinichi said a little flustered at the counselor's question. "Oriana Lawson. I think..."

Kelly let out a soft sigh before speaking. She knew Shinichi was going through a hard time. His relatively stable life, if you could call it that, had hit a low point since they returned for furlough. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know It's hard, she was one of the few people not directly involved in your life. A fixed point that you could always hold on to. But you have to move on. If not for our sake. Then for your own."

"I know Kelly. I know. Hell I've done enough shit that this shouldn't really affect me. But... I don't know... She was special," Shinichi said as he tiredly rubbed his eyes.

"Shin. You're twenty six. There are millions of girls out there like Kasumi. You just have to stop whoring around every night to find that person." Kelly gave her superior officer a teasing smirk as she removed her hand from his shoulder.

The elevator stopped and they both stepped out on the bridge. "You offering?"

"Don't tempt me like that Major. You know I'm taken." Kelly hit Shinichi's arm while acting scandalized. She then quickly turned around. Slapped Samantha Traynor - who let out a yelp - on the ass and stalked towards her office.

"Maybe you should put some ice on that," Shinichi said as he moved past the stunned communications officer. He shook his head lightly trying to put out the thoughts of what his counselor and comm officer were up to during the night and took his place on the bridge. Located up front between EDI and Joker.

"So Major. You think this is the beginning of another great adventure?" Came it from Joker. The pilot was in the middle of prepping the ship for take off.

"I sure hope so. A month of paid leave isn't exactly my cup of tea. Been boring my ass off."

"Well I sure don't. I had to sacrifice this baby on the last one." Joker gestured towards his beard.

"All systems checked Major. We're prepped for launch," EDI informed before Shinichi could reply to Joker.

"Wen Kroy Control this is the Bucephalus. We cleared for launch, over?"

"_Bucephalus this is Wen Kroy Control. You are cleared for launch. Over and out."_

"You heard the lady, take us up," Shinichi exclaimed before taking his seat in the captains chair. Located a little behind the pilots. "All personnel this is Major Kusanagi speaking. Strap yourself in and prepare for take off."

"_Take off in fifteen seconds." _EDI's calm voice reverberated through the ship._ "Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen."_

"I always find it creepy when she does that. You know talk through the ship," Joker said directing his statement at the Major.

"Cut the chatter until we're in warp Joker." Joker simply threw his hands up and refocused on his panel.

"_Seven. Six. Five. Four and take off."_

The rumble of the Bucephalus' four ion engines shook the ship as it slowly lifted into the atmosphere. Rising higher and higher by every minute. Shinichi always loved this part as it made him feel free. Unbound by the grasp of the earth beneath him. It reminded him of being a child again. Together with his brothers and sisters. Before they were scattered across the stars.

"We are fifty kilometers above planet surface Major," EDI informed him.

"Donnelly status?"

"_Dilithium chambers at maximum Major we're cleared for warp."_

"Joker maximum warp in five."

"Sure thing Major."

"All personnel prepare for warp in five, four, three, two, one. Blast off!" Shinichi ordered as Joker hit the switch accelerating the ship beyond the speed of light. From inside the Bucephalus space would seem to distort itself as the stars became strobes of light. For the outsider the ship would seem to stretch itself before shooting across space faster than you could see. The only evidence left behind being a trail of disappearing blue dust.

"All systems are go Major. Estimated time of arrival. One hour," EDI reported as Shinichi untangled himself from the captain's chair and took his place at the bridge panel up front. The blast shield surrounding the cockpit had been closed. The space going by them in warp being shown on holographic displays.

Shinichi stretched his arms before relaying a message to the crew. "Okay people you heard the XO. ETA in one hour. Chow or shut eye, your choice."

"So Major, what's your thoughts on this mission of ours?" Joker asked as he let EDI take care of the autopilot.

"This ain't the first time we've dealt with hostile extra terrestrials. I just hope it won't be like the Noodle Incident again."

"Yeah we could do without another one of those. You know aliens with acid blood versus predators with more weapons than Rambo I can take. But scary black liquid turning people into super fast, super strong rage zombies. That's crossing the line."

"Fucking Koreatown," Shinichi let out as he leaned with his back against the control panel.

"Let's just hope next time we wont stumble upon any artifact that'll upset the entire space-time continuum."

"This ain't science fiction Joker," EDI deadpanned.

"You got a point there, besides I'd rather not climb a clock tower in order to get back to the future."

"That depends which version we're talking about," EDI added, "Is it the 20th century version the 2080s version or the one that came out in eighty-five?"

Joker shook his head. Adjusted his cap and turned his attention towards the Major. "So Shinichi, scuttlebutt says that you and Little Miss Cat Burglar aren't together anymore."

"She's not a thief, Joker," Shinichi said, glaring at his pilot.

"Oh, really. Then how do you explain the hundred bucks I lost when I greeted her during that get together three months ago?"

"You must have dropped them."

"Admit it, Major. She's a thief, I might not have any evidence that she is one, but she is!"

"Kasumi is not a thief. She's a sweet Japanese girl studying law. Following in her parents footsteps." Shinichi said, patting Joker on the shoulder. The two had gone through many a discussion with the lieutenant accusing his now former girlfriend of being a covert kleptomaniac.

"Okay...I might not have any proof of theft, but every time we had her over I always felt that I needed to check the house for parts she might have pawned off," Joker stated.

Shinichi laughed and turned around. Heading for his private quarters. "It's just my opinion though, there's really no reason to go spreading it around." He heard Joker remark followed by EDI's soft laughter. The Major brushed a hand through his hair and rolled his eyes at his two pilots.

"_**Ghost in the Shell. Originally the English name of a Japanese manga and anime has been used as a term to refer to people who have uploaded their brains into a cyborg body. The so called ghost refers to the humanity one retains even if your body is no longer your own. Over time it has also come to refer to the so called human behavior within androids that either attains or have been created with true independence."**_

**A Travel Through History By Neil Sagan  
United Systems Alliance**

Among Earth's supranational governments like the United Colonial Nations and other sovereign powers within the Milky Way Galaxy, the United Systems Alliance stands as one of the youngest and most powerful. A relative upstarts compared to its contemporaries, its location and huge boon in resources and habitable planets has ensured the United Systems skyrocketing rise to a Galactic superpower.

Despite the Alliance part of its name the United Systems Alliance (USA) - commonly referred to as the United Systems (US) is a federal parliamentary democracy, with a president as its head of state. Each planetary government within the US agree to exist semi-autonomously - the degree of autonomy varies from each system - under a central government based on the principles of universal liberty, rights, equality and the sharing of knowledge and resources.

The United Systems follows the Nordic model of a mixed economy, characterized by a large welfare state, a high level of public expenditure and a universal social system (including universal health care), financed by taxes and not by social contributions. The welfare model is accompanied by a taxation system that is both broad based and with a progressive income tax model, meaning the more money that is earned, the higher income tax percentage that gets paid. While this does leave the US with some of the highest tax rates in the Galaxy. The population is largely content with this as it supports the massive welfare system and ensures a free education for all.

**Law**

The United Systems has some of the strictest law enforcement in the Galaxy, with squads of police droids patrolling in all cities and surveillance on every street. Not even the police themselves are exempt from surveillance as officers are required to have a minimum of one droid escorting them as backup when on duty. As droids are incorruptible due to their programming, they ensure that the police do not abuse their power and report back directly to the Internal Affairs Department. Only officers that go undercover are exempt from "droid surveillance" as the people call it.

Censorship has been prohibited within the US since its inception. This effectively means that published material does not need prior acceptance from a censor before being released, also known as prior restraint. However, child pornography, hate speech, blasphemy, copyright, libel, and state security laws do exist, which means that a people can be held responsible for statements in publicly disseminated material that violates these laws.

**Territory**

The Frontier is an open cluster of around 150 stars. Each star has at least one Earthlike planet within its habitable zone and all habitable planets have close to 24 hour days. The capital planet of the United Systems, Ariadne, has a day-night cycle of precisely 24 hours and a revolution of exactly 365 days.

The amount of tampering that Those Who Came Before did to the cluster is unknown but believed to be massive. Whether the cluster started out as natural is unknown. A result of having been left untouched for millennia, the local flora and fauna has over time evolved on its own. Sharks still remain the same though.

* * *

That was the first story chapter as you can see humanity has made first contact with a Council race, but which one will be surprise. :-P

As the timeline is different it could be anyone.

Right now I've introduced you to one of the three main characters who will all be named after a famous spy, though the names you have to figure out by yourself. They also work for a secret organization that will be introduced later on.

I try and make my main characters as non-descript as possible so people can imagine how they look themselves, but I do still model them after real actors or video game character. In my head Shinichi looks like Rush Sykes from the game "The Last Remnant." A more mature version though and with Steve Blum's Spike Spiegel voice.

One thing you probably have noticed us that there will be numerous shout outs ranging from not so obvious to the obvious. Like the entire Cylon discussion.

Well I hope you liked it so far and I would love it if you would give me some reviews. :-)

P.S. Can you guess who Shinichi's ex is? It's pretty obvious. XD


	3. Chapter 2: Going Hunting

This will most likely be the last piece of forewords in this story.

Let's get to it. I'm going to say thank you to those who have reviewed. Some of you have made me rethink elements of the story and some has been revised. Extra entries and revisions have been added to the timeline and the ending dialogue between Shinichi, EDI and Joker in chapter 1 has been changed. Second, I'm not a fan of guest reviews, I have seen too many writers get nasty posts from people they can't respond to. So all unfriendly anonymous reviews will be deleted immediately.

Some people have asked me why the United Systems are the main faction we're following. Well the answer is simple - I'm not fan of either the ISA or the Helghast and while they both have some good point they also have many bad ones. I want my main characters to have an unbiased opinion when the story moves to Vekta.

I will not make a chart of how fast warp speed is, I'm not that good at math. So warp drives are as fast as the plot requires. Of course our heroes have the fastest "plot drives."

United Systems carriers and destroyers are based on the ships seen in Titanfall.

* * *

**Omega Protocol: Shadow Recruits  
Chapter 2: Going Hunting**

_**Human body armor is fully capable of stopping mass accelerated projectiles, even though they do not incorporate kinetic shields.**_

The USS Harrington. A Starfleet destroyer and flagship of Battle Group Manticore. Ryan Hunt was looking out the window of his personal quarters. The blue and green surface of New Beijing in the distance. He stood tall at six foot three. He was fit with faint scars tracing his handsome face. His eyes were bright blue and his hair dark brown. He was twenty three years old. At the moment he was conversing on a secure line.

"_In an hour's time the Bucephalus will make contact with Battle Group Manticore. When planetside on Shanxi you will link up with operative Kusanagi and Fisher. Then you will capture a high ranking enemy soldier for interrogation. Covertly of course. Understood?"_

"Perfectly," Ryan answered. His finger on his headset.

"_Good luck Commander. Olympus out."_ Ryan moved over to his bedside table. He was clad in standard marine armor. A soft bodysuit made of a titanium, tungsten and kevlar weave with integrated titanium pads at the knees, shoulders and elbows. A ballistics vest went on top, together with a combat helmet and ballistics goggles. A honeycomb pattern ran across the entire uniform to provide adaptive camouflage. As of the moment Ryan's uniform was the standard color of grey.

Ryan picked up his B3 Wingman revolver. Did a quick cylinder check and strapped it to his thigh holster. He then picked up his helmet and walked out. It would be good to see both Shinichi Kusanagi and his twin sister Samantha Fisher again. They were a team, family and family stuck together. Last time they had seen each other was during the so called "Noodle Incident" as Joker called it. That was a month ago. At the moment they were all scattered across the Frontier and Commander Ryan Hunt was undercover as Sergeant James Ryan of the United Systems Interstellar Marine Corps.

"_All personnel report to commanding officers. Fleet arrival in T-minus thirty minutes."_ Ryan was pulled out of his thoughts by the intercom. He let out a breath before sprinting towards the hangar bay. The hangar was already buzzing with activity as personnel were getting into formation to get briefed by their commanding officer.

Ryan at the moment was squad leader in a Delta Company platoon led by First Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. The company itself was under command of a Lieutenant Commander John Shepard. Why a naval officer had been put in command of a company of marines did bother him at first, but Captain Stephanie Honor liked having her own men on the ground during operations like this.

Ryan quickly found the other officers of his unit. They had gathered in front of a dropship. He quickly took a place besides Private Richard Jenkins. Commander Shepard was already ending his briefing.

"All right here's the situation, Marines. We're facing an unknown enemy. We don't know how strong they are or what they're capable of. But one thing I do know is that we're fighting for our families, our homes and our rightful place in the universe! Now whatever those things are we will show them how humanity fights!" The entire hangar bay rang with the sound of oorahs as the Marines filed out.

"I hope we won't be staying on the ship for too long. I'm itching for some real action."

"I don't know Jenkins," Ryan said as he checked his rifle. The R-101C Carbine has been the standard assault rifle of the United Systems Armed Forces since the Titan Wars. It uses a standard 40 round magazine and fires high powered ammunition. Various accessories were also available.

"I sincerely hope you're not being serious Corporal," Kaidan said as he picked up a few magazines. He was standing opposite them at the requisitions table. "Last time you itched for some action I had to save your ass."

"Sorry Lieutenant. This waiting is just killing me. I've never been part of an operation this big before!"

"Relax Jenkins, it's just an orbital insertion. Treat this like any other assignment you've had and you'll survive," Ryan said before walking off. Mentally adding "most likely" to his sentence.

_All marines to your battle stations. ETA to Shanxi in fifteen minutes."_

Ryan didn't particularly like Commander Shepard. A typical beefcake with a nice face who would look more at home in a Calvin Klein commercial than a battlefield. Only joining the navy because of family tradition. Ryan reprimanded himself to reserve judgement until he had seen the Commander in action. After all, no one rose to the rank of lieutenant commander without some skill.

"Hey Sarge, promise me you won't let me get killed by some godless predator from another world?" Jenkins said. Having strapped himself in across from Ryan.

"No promises in combat, Jenkins!" Ryan barked as he played with his handheld deflector shield. The dropship was cramped with marines. The only one not strapped in was Shepard who stood in the center. His hand linked into one of the many grab handles in the roof.

"We are going feet first into hell. Means more aliens for us to kill. You smash the entire area. You kill anything that's not human. YOU GET ME!?"

"WE GET YOU SIR!" The collective kinship between soldiers was always something that put a smile on Ryan's face and one of the things he liked when posing as a soldier.

"_Attention all personnel this is Captain Honor speaking. Prepare for arrival in five minutes. Expect heavy resistance and brace for immediate drop."_

_**Portable deflector shields are worn by some soldiers. It is powered by a battery pack attached to the wearers armor. Shield depletion is dependent on the amount of abuse subjected to the shield.**_

Protheans. Once a mighty race with an interstellar empire that covered the galaxy and comprised of dozens of different species - all united under one rule. All that came to an end with the Cataclysm. A centuries long war against an unknown genocidal race of aliens. Sacrificing everything the Protheans fought their enemy from system to system, world to world, and city to city. Entire colonies and billions of people were lost to the thrall of this scourge. When fighting proved futile they turned to their best and brightest in a desperate move to save themselves from total annihilation. Millions of individuals were placed in stasis - hidden from the watchful eyes of their destroyers. Their orders; to revive the empire when the war was over. Only a few survived.

While they lay in stasis their empire crumbled. Their legacy erased from the surface of their worlds. Alas it was to no avail as the stasis chambers on Ilos and Eden Prime were damaged - suspending their occupants in stasis for eternity. Millennia later a benevolent race of "Pale Giants" found the Protheans. Taking them to a faraway world. Bending their minds until all memories of their past was but a subconscious dream. Regressing them to a foraging society, setting them free to start all over again. The Pale Giants would live on as myths in their ancient religions.

Now the Protheans made up the four races of the Citadel Council together with the Turians, Asari and Salarians.

Council Spectre Nihlus Kryik was a skeptical man by nature - a necessity for survival in his line of work. This entire mess was the result of a turian patrol fleet discovering ships of unknown make trying to activate an inactive mass relay. Like fools they immediately opened fire and chased the survivors to the nearest planet where they were annihilated by a hostile fleet in orbit. The Hierarchy had tried to keep a lid on the situation but after mobilizing a retaliatory fleet. The Council had intervened. Due to some kind of miracle Primarch Fedorian had convinced them that it was an internal matter. The Protheans of course had sent one of their own fleets as support. Nihlus himself was dispatched by the Council as the Council's eyes and ears.

The military brass was convinced that the planet the new race had fled to was their homeworld, but Nihlus did not believe it so. Just because it had a large population and several major cities did not mean that it was a homeworld. It could simply be an old colony.

At the moment the Spectre was gazing out the portside window of a turian cruiser. Large fires from the bombardment of the planet were clearly visible from orbit.

"Damn shame..." Nihlus muttered. A race had just taken its first steps toward the stars. Only to be forcibly put down. General Desolas commander of the Righteous Intent and the man in charge of the turian invasion fleet stood at the combat information center. A holographic map of the planets capital on display.

"Soldier, status report!" The General commanded.

"Native military has been driven into the countryside. Pockets of resistance still remain in major cities."

"Good. Give me a comm link to General Kevran." Desolas pointed at the nearest comm officer.

"_General Kevran here. To what do I owe the pleasure, Desolas?"_ The voice of Kevran, the commander of the prothean invasion fleet was heard clearly through the intercom.

"Prepare to move your troops out. We'll extinguish all signs of resistance city block by city block. I want this planet pacified by tomorrow."

"_With pleasure. Arterius." _The comm link went silent.

"Sir, what about civilians?" Nihlus interrupted. Having placed himself behind Desolas.

The General turned and looked Nihlus straight in the eyes. "There are no civilians in war, Kryik. Thought you'd learned that." Desolas gestured to the CIC. "If we don't break their spirit completely. What's to say they won't strike back when we least expect it."

"You expect people to obey you when you slaughter their civilians in the street?" Nihlus responded, his voice hard. "We turians might not distinguish between combatant and non-combatant. But no one plays by the same rules. Arterius!"

"You of all people should know that an enemy must be struck down until they're unable to ever strike again!" Desolas jabbed his finger at Nihlus as he moved to the other side of the CIC.

"We've fought for a week and their casualties are in the millions. Haven't we done enough already?"

"You forget your place Kryik. The Council sent you as an observer and I will not..."

"Sir we got something at our twelve!" One of the crewmen yelled interrupting whatever Desolas had to say.

"What, where?" Desolas moved swiftly to the bridge. Looking out the front window. "Magnify the view." Several flashes of blue lights dotted the enhanced view on the window as several ships suddenly appeared.

"WHERE DID THEY COME FROM!" Desolas yelled. "What's their distance!"

"Hundred thousand klicks. Closing fast."

"All ships this is General Desolas Arterius open fire at the incoming fleet! I repeat open fire at the incoming fleet! Weapons free!" All thirty ships in the joint Turian-Prothean fleet opened fire. Mass accelerated rounds streaked across space. Towards their intended target.

"Did we hit anything?" Nihlus asked.

"No confirmed fatalities. Sir!" One of the bridge crew answered. "Either their shields are too strong or their ships too sturdy."

Captain Stephanie Honor, commanding officer of Battle Group Manticore sat calmly in her seat. The bridge of the USS Harrington was full of activity as the fleet warped in. Her hair was tied up in a tight knot and her Starfleet uniform neatly pressed. She expressed the levelheadedness necessary to keep those under her command calm.

"Enemy fleet straight ahead. Distance, a hundred thousand kilometers."

"Move in at full speed. Fire at my command." Captain Honor tapped a few keys on her chair. "Patch me through to the UCN Fleet Commander."

"UCNS Kilimanjaro this is USS Harrington. Do you read me?" The Comm Office relayed.

"_This is Captain Terrence Oliver, reading you loud and clear."_

"Captain move your fleet into attack formation we'll take point and engage the enemy at a distance of seventy five thousand kilometers. Follow our phaser strikes with a missile barrage. Then move your fleet into drop positions in orbit. Understood?" Stephanie commanded.

"_Copy that commander, we'll follow your lead. Over and out."_ Several United Colonial Navy ships warped in behind Battle Group Manticore. Their dull grey and vertical design stood in contrast to the aesthetically pleasing look of the Starfleet cruisers and dreadnoughts.

"Enemy has opened fire!"

"All ships evasive maneuvers, brace for impact!" Stephanie yelled.

Mass accelerated rounds flew around them as the fleet dispersed. A destroyer was hit, but kept going. The shot pierced through it, but the compartmentalized design of the ship ensured those areas were closed off. Other hits were stopped by deflector shields.

"Status report?"

"Shield down by fifteen percent. Seven ships hit. Three crippled. None lost, Captain."

"Good. Give them a volley. All ships you're cleared to fire. Weapons free." A collective affirmative could be heard through the comm unit.

"Multiple heat signals from enemy ships!" A turian ensign informed. Looking frantically at his screen. Multiple rays of red light streaked across space.

"HARD TO PORT!" Nihlus yelled. Several phaser rounds impacted with their ships. Burning through armor. Cleaving entire sections off. A barrage hit the stern of Righteous Intent sending the ship careening starboard.

"Status, soldier!" Desolas ordered as he regained his balance.

"Multiple hull breaches, sealing them now. Fleet is crippled, 25 percent of our ships are still combat operable. The Protheans took most of the hits. GUARDIAN system is down, main gun still operable."

Desolas wiped his forehead. "All men and women of Righteous Intent, this is General Desolas Arterius. Abandon ship, we'll regroup planetside. I repeat abandon ship we'll regroup planetside!"

"_Arterius what the hell is happening. My ship is falling apart here. You assured me they were close to defeat!"_ An angry Kevran could be heard over the comm.

"Obviously they are not!" Desolas spat. "Now if you're done grumbling I suggest you get yourself planetside. We'll regroup at the FOB."

Nihlus had already turned around as Desolas yelled after him. He was heading for the hangar bay. He had to inform the Council of this. They were no upstarts. The attacking fleet was too large and too varied from those they had engaged earlier. As he reached his destination - he made a quick turn towards the escape pods and jumped in. Nihlus calmly punched in the coordinates for the forward operating base and strapped himself in as the pod was jettisoned from Righteous Intent.

"This is Spectre Operative Nihlus Kryik relaying this message to the nearest communications module. The enemy is far stronger than we've anticipated. This planet is not as we believed - their homeworld and I fear retaliation will be severe. I request that the Council gather a diplomatic envoy effective immediately. Time is of the essence." Nihlus ended the transmission. He could only observe with sad eyes as several blue flashes appeared behind the fleet. Ships suddenly arrived at their six, firing multiple beams of light. The Spectre quickly steeled himself as broke pod broke atmosphere.

"Chinese fleet just warped in," One of the crewmen said. Captain Honor nodded. "Hostiles are dropping troops."

"All ships this is Captain Honor speaking. Prepare to fire torpedoes."

"Photon torpedoes prepped, Captain."

"You may fire at will." A few seconds of silence passed before numerous bright spherical explosions dotted the space thousand of kilometers in the distance. Melting away ships and shuttles unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity.

"Hostile fleet is crippled. Their army remains active planetside."

The Captain let out a breath before speaking. "Move in for orbital deployment. Take out any stragglers on the way."

Secret agent Samantha Fisher was strapped in a four man drop pod with four other Titan Pilots. She was onboard a United Systems destroyer. Her Pilot Close-Quarters-Battle Armor was tight fitting and armored. She always found it funny how male combat uniforms of the Armed Forces were a little more baggy than the ones for females. Either way she did not care. It still offered just as much protection.

Samantha was fresh faced, had clear blue eyes and dark hair that was pulled back into her helmet. Only her face was visible. "First combat drop anyone?" Sam asked as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth. The drop pod could house four occupants. She reached for the steel rig and pulled it down, securing herself for the inevitable drop. She took a glance at her team. Unlike her they all had their faces concealed. "How about some gum?"

"With all due respect Lieutenant!" One of the pod's occupants spoke. "In a few minutes we'll be dropping several thousand kilometers above ground in a fuckin' tin can. I don't think chatter will alleviate the situation."

"It's easy Gunny!" Sam smirked as she checked her rigging. "You just sit back, relax and wait for a long drop and a sudden stop." Samantha laughed as the Gunnery Sergeant shook her head. "Besides we're all too pretty to die."

"_This is the Captain speaking. All personnel prepare for drop. We're at D-minus three and counting."_

Samantha pushed her . The pod rotated as it rotated into position.

"Man I hate this part!" One of the men said.

"Cut the chatter!" Samantha barked. She pulled down her goggles, concealing her face. "Initiating drop sequence!"

"_Separation confirmed."_ The pods onboard computer informed.

A loud clank followed by an explosion rang through the pod as it was shot out. Silence followed immediately after. Through the small windows hundreds of pods and dropships could be seen descending. The light of the sun framing their silhouettes.

"_Standby. Approaching shock layer."_

Sam closed her eyes and schooled her breathing. Flames engulfed the drop pods and ships as they broke through the atmosphere. The darkness of space replaced by the brightness of the sky. They continued descending, breaking the first cloud layers.

"All right ladies and gentlemen brace for impact and prepare to defend yourself!"

Sam grabbed her rigging and leaned back in her seat. The roar of friction against the pods air brakes, as well as the reverse thrusters filled the pod as the ground came closer. Shanxi proper was just beneath them. The pod decelerated to speeds acceptable for impact.

"_Impact in 3, 2, 1, mark."_

The internal shock dampeners were put into full effect as the pod crashed into the concrete of the streets below. The four pilots jolted in their seats from the the abrupt halt. Dust surrounding them.

"Thermal readings are picking up at least a dozen hostiles. Moving fast in our direction, Ma'am."

"Take a breath and wait for my signal. We'll give these assholes a little surprise."

The enemy soldiers were approaching the pod. Slowly circling it. Their leader - a large prothean, signaled for them to stop. He motioned for his men to approach. Steadily of course. The pod was cylindrical in shape with one door, its windows were tinted gold. Mounted underneath it was a cone like structure, four blades ran along its sides. Ensuring that upon touchdown the pod would be planted firmly into the ground.

Samantha flipped a few switches and put her hand on the release handle. On her command the pod door would violently eject. Killing any unfortunate soul standing in their way.

"On my mark," She whispered, even though it was unnecessary as the pod was sound proof. "Weapons ready?"

"Ready,"

"Okay. Three, two, one." The hostiles were circling the pod with their weapons drawn. "Mark!"

The pod's door flew out with excessive force. The soldiers standing in its way were sent flying. Slamming into the ground several feet away. An unlucky trooper hit the pole of a street light with his back. Breaking it and killing him immediately. The pods occupants moved out swiftly. Covered by the smoke from the blast. Automatic fire filled the air. Samantha took aim with her Smart Pistol. Firing in bursts, the homing rounds found their targets. Taking out three soldiers with perfect headshots.

"Regroup, rooftops, three o'clock!" Sam's team quickly exfiltrated from the street. "Williams provide down covering fire!"

The Gunnery Sergeant lay down fire with her R-97 as her team used their jump kits and nano loves to scale the buildings. Using their jump kits. Williams followed when Samantha gained the high ground. Her team opened fire on the surviving hostiles as they regrouped.

**August 12, 2390  
12:00 Shanxi Time  
One Hour Into Invasion**

The forward operating base was bustling with activity as Nihlus moved towards the command center. The former city hall was almost unrecognizable as the occupying force had turned it into a makeshift bunker. Wounded soldiers passed him on his way. Some supported by their brothers others lay in hospital beds.

"How could it move so fast? Nothing should be able to move that fast." He heard one soldier - a prothean mutter.

Nihlus pushed the doors to the command center open. General Adrien Victus stood looking over a holographic map of the city. Several sections were colored yellow, showing where the line was faltering.

Victus wiped his forehead as the transmission was cut short by weapons fire. "Nihlus I see you made it down alive."

"Of course, what's the status?"

Victus took a pad lying on the CIC. "We've been able to hold our ground for now, but the enemy is pushing us back slowly. I fear that we haven't seen everything they got yet."

"What about Arterius, has he made it?"

"General Arterius touched down at the southern FOB, he's holding the line there."

"And General Kevran?"

"Lost when the enemy fleet arrived."

Nihlus leaned over the map of the city. "Damn," He sighed.

"How the hell could this happen." Victus put his pad down. "They are far stronger than we anticipated."

"I've come to two conclusions Victus," Nihlus informed as he motioned for a soldier to bring him something to drink. "Either they were better prepared than we thought. Or..."

"Or what?" Victus placed both his hands on the CIC table. He looked directly at Nihlus. "Nihlus?"

Nihlus took the cup of water from the retuning soldier and emptied it. "Or they are not a united species."

"Damn indeed," Victus rubbed his face with both hands. He was tired. "So what now?"

"I've already sent a message to the Citadel."

"So we'll just sit tight and wait for backup?" Victus didn't get an answer as several red lights flashed on the city map.

"Sir, the enemy is breaching our defenses," A soldier said frantically. "Captain Gavorn's on on the line!"

"Captain Gavorn this is General Victus. Speak to me!"

"_My entire team is down! I need backup! Please send backup!"_ The transmission was cut short immediately by the sound of automatic fire.

"Soldier send all available squads to the front lines!" Victus pointed at an officer. "You, go check the anti-air guns and make sure they're fully loaded!"

Victus grabbed his rifle and made for the front entrance. "Nihlus find your recruit and have him take up position in the clock tower!"

"Understood!" Nihlus gave Victus a salute before moving in the opposite direction. It did not take long for him to find the Spectre candidate. He was standing in the armory, calibrating his sniper rifle.

"Garrus!" The Spectre yelled, pulling the former C-Sec detective away from his calibrations.

"Yes sir?"

"I want you and Sidonis to take position in the clock tower. Provide sniper coverage." Nihlus patted Garrus on the shoulder. He took a rifle from the rack together with ammunition.

"Where will you be going?"

"I'll be scouting ahead. Find out where the enemy is moving." Nihlus stopped before exiting the armory. "And Garrus...good luck."

"You too Nihlus." Garrus watched as Nihlus disappeared. He took his rifle and placed it on his back. He then moved out to find Sidonis and take position in the clock tower of the city hall.

The men had fortified the front entrance well. Large prefabricated walls surrounded the massive stairway. Anti-air batteries and gun emplacement ran along it. Victus was standing on the wall. Looking over the city. Fire seemed to rain from the sky like meteors. Victus knew better. Those were not meteors but orbital drop pods. The turian took a pair of binoculars and scanned the boulevard in front of him. Nothing. It was too quiet.

"INCOMING!" A soldier screamed. Victus turned around and look into the sky. Several pods slammed down within the perimeters of the base. A few pods smashed through the roof of the city hall. Carving large holes in the floor as they went down. Victus jumped down. His rifle ready. He gave a silent order for his men to gather themselves.

"Whatever comes out of those pods men. You kill it." They slowly approached as the cloud of dust settled. Victus could feel the tension in the air. Only the sound of distant gunfire broke the silence. The general signaled for a prothean to pull the nearest pod's door off.

The door was enveloped in green light as the prothean used his biotics. As the door was yanked off, a loud bang and a bright flash illuminated the area. Stunning the soldiers briefly. Then it happened. Faster than they could react. A BRD-01 Spectre drone jumped out of the pod. Hitting the prothean squarely in the chest with its foot. Crushing his armor and sending him flying into the adjacent wall. Killing him instantly.

"Open fire! Open fire!" Victus shouted as he dived behind cover. The bots looked like the native species of the planet in design, but they had triangle shaped or blocky heads. The sound of several pod doors opening could be heard. Several drones poured out. Opening fire immediately. The entire FOB turned into chaos as the men fired frantically at the drones.

"They're too fast. Concentrate your fire!" Victus relayed his orders as best as he could. "Everyone move, retreat into the building!"

"Sir there are drones inside the building too." One man uttered as they moved up the stairs. Firing down at the advancing drones. They were fast well armed and well protected. A far cry from the security bots used by the Citadel.

"We'll worry 'bout that later. Now get inside!"

_**If you throw enough shit at something. Eventually it'll get destroyed. - Sir Isaac Newton...allegedly  
**_

Ryan was moving through the suburbs of Shanxi proper with his platoon. On their way down they could see the smoke rising from the city. Fire from anti-air batteries flew around them. On the ground they had been ordered to clear the suburbs of hostiles, liberate the southern police station from enemy hands and then move on towards City Hall.

They were moving through the back alleys. Using the houses as cover. Smoke filled the air. Some houses were standing others were in ruin. "Marines, anything beyond this point is considered hostile," Shepard muttered. Bursts of gunfire could be heard in the distance.

"Hell of a way to earn your stripes, huh guys?" A marine - James Vega uttered.

"Shit Vega, I'd rather be trapped in a Venezuelan manhole with a serious case of swamp ass." Ryan chuckled. Steadying his rifle as he moved forward, passing Jenkins on the way.

"We'll be moving to the main street. Watch you corners." Abandoned cars and dead bodies littered the street as the marines moved through. Some bodies were burned so badly that only charred corpses remained. A few curses could be heard as they passed them.

"You see anything Kieran?" Kaidan asked.

"Can't see shit in this smoke," Kieran answered from the front. In the distance several explosions could be heard as well as the sound of flying ships.

"Police station's about one klick north from here," Shepard informed as he and Kaidan looked at a map of the city. They were interrupted by the sound of something falling.

"Twelve o'clock!" Shepard quickly held his hand up. Ordering the men to be quiet. Ryan who had taken point scanned the area through his scope.

"Spread out. Use the cars as cover," Shepard whispered. "See anything Ryan?"

"Nah, nothing... Wait!" A scream rang through the air as several flashes could be seen through the smoke. The wind had risen, blowing enough of it away, allowing for some visibility. A rocket flew over Ryan. Colliding with a car, blowing those behind it away.

"WATCH OUT!" Vega shouted. "INCOMING!"

"WHERE'S IT COMING FROM?" Mass accelerated rounds whizzed around them. Slamming into cars and buildings. Taking out those unfortunate enough to stand in their way. The marines returned fire immediately.

"I don't know!"

"ROOFTOPS, TWELVE O'CLOCK, THIRTY METERS!" Vega yelled as he blindfired over the hood of a car with his Spitfire LMG. "THIRTY METERS!"

"JENKINS WATCH YOUR HEAD!" Ryan yelled as he pulled the private down. Enemy fire taking out the entire top of the car they were behind. As he peeked over the top he saw two ball of blue light heading towards him. "RPG!" Ryan managed to pull himself and Jenkins away before the missiles took them out. A few others were not so lucky.

"LEFT FLANK, ON THE ROOF!" The marines could get brief glimpses of the enemy as they fired wildly into the air. Aiming at the rooftops or whatever could be seen as enemy cover.

"COVERING FIRE, COVERING FIRE!" Kieran shouted before a round slammed through his helmet. Spraying the asphalt with red.

"COMMANDER, ENEMY HAS THE HIGH GROUND!" Kaidan shouted as he fired at an alien hiding behind a chimney. Enemy fire taking out two men beside him. "WE NEED TO MOVE NOW!"

Shepard fired a grenade from his rifle. Taking out a large chunk of a building and the hostiles with it. "Vega!"

"YES?"

"Give me an exit down that alley!" Shepard ordered as he pointed towards the right flank with his thumb.

"YES, COMMANDER! RYAN, TOOMBS, LET'S GO!" Vega patted Ryan and Toombs on their shoulders as he ran towards the right flank. He kicked in the gate that blocked his way.

"EVERYONE LET'S GO, LET'S GO!" Kaidan shouted as the surviving marines exfiltrated the street.

"FALLING BACK!" The marines shouted as they kept on shooting.

"Enemy fire keep your head down!" Ryan yelled as he ran through the narrow back alley. Bullets flying through the air. One man running behind him toppled over as he took a round to the back. They kept on running. Not knowing how far behind the enemy was.

"Vega what do you see?" They had finally stopped. Standing in a rather large backyard of a house. Someone must have been in the middle of construction work as stacks of bricks and containers filled the area.

"Don't see shit Commander!"

"We're boxed in, how do we get out of here!"

"Hicks, take position by the wall, everyone scan your surroundings!" Kaidan shouted as he caught up to them. "Move out, move out!"

"AMBUSH!" Someone screamed as three aliens appeared on the adjacent rooftops. The marines and the aliens immediately opened fire at each other.

"I'M HIT!"

"MAN DOWN, MAN DOWN!"

"USE YOUR GRENADES!"

"COVER ME!"

"RPG!" Vega managed to scream as the rocket propelled grenade hit the center of the backyard. Sending debris into the air. Another slammed into a container sending it flying.

"WATCH OUT!" A marine shouted as the container hit the ground where an unlucky marine stood.

"Holy shit!" Toombs uttered in disbelief, looking at the spot where the marine had been standing. He was quickly pulled out of his reverie as the enemy continued their onslaught.

"LIEUTENANT WE NEED AN EXIT OUT!"

"I'M WORKING ON IT!" Kaidan shouted.

Ryan lay down suppressive fire, managing to take out one hostile. He looked around searching for Shepard. The Commander was behind a dumpster, firing his assault rifle. "COMMANDER, COMMANDER!"

Getting no response Ryan ran out of cover towards a wooden gate and kicked it in. "KAIDAN WE GOT AN EXIT!"

"We got an exit!" Kaidan yelled as he pulled a wounded with him. "Everybody move out, move out!"

"Commander, we got an exit! We're going now!" One marine called as he pulled on Shepard's shoulder. The Commander reloaded as he ordered the remaining men to fall back. Into the narrow passageway between the houses.

"Fall back, fall back!"

"I can't see shit!" Jenkins shouted firing frantically. A round collided with his abdomen. Making him hit the ground. "Shit, shit, shit! RYAN!" He managed to scream before crawling out of the backyard. "Shit, shit, shit."

"US Marines, coming through!" Ryan shouted as he opened the door to a partially secluded house. "Clear the rooms!"

"Kitchen's clear, kitchen's clear!"

"Get on that window!" Kaidan ordered Vega, pointing at the kitchen window.

"Living room's clear!"

"Put the wounded in the kitchen!" Shepard commanded as he walked in, carrying a hit soldier.

"Hicks, Paxton, secure the back of the house!" Ryan said with baited breath as he walked towards them.

"Yes Sergeant, we're on it!"

"Doc how long before they're ready to move?" Kaidan questioned.

"Ten minutes, Lieutenant!" The Corpsman answered, checking the wounded.

"What do we got, Vega?" Kaidan asked as he moved to the soldier standing at the kitchen window.

"Nothing, Lieutenant. I can't see a damn thing. With this smoke it's zero visibility!" Kaidan nodded before moving towards Shepard.

"Commander, your orders?" He asked. "Your orders sir?"

"I could have avoided that ambush," Shepard replied. He hit himself on the head. "Fuck!" He took a second to gather himself. "Toombs, anyone on command?"

"No, Sir."

"We need to get out of here, we need backup, air support!"

"Commander, you're in charge here!" Kaidan placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, steadying him. "Your orders, Sir?"

Shepard took a few breaths before answering. "We'll radio for evac. Enemies or no enemies, we need to get the wounded out of here."

"Roger that."

"Hey, guys, guys, did anyone see Jenkins?" Ryan asked as he came up to them. "I didn't see him come in with us. Where the fuck is he?"

"JENKINS, JENKINS!" Several of the men began to shout. "Anyone seen Jenkins?" It was to no avail. The private was not with them.

"Shit! Okay. I'll go search for Jenkins, Sir," Kaidan stated. "Ryan, Vega, on me."

"I'll take care of the wounded. We'll regroup on 24th street." Shepard shouted after them.

"Roger that." Kaidan replied.

**August 12, 2390  
13:00 Shanxi Time  
Two Hours Into Invasion**

"Exoskeleton online, running diagnostics." EDI's calm voice could be heard through Shinichi's neural uplink. He did a few motions, making sure that his suit functioned. The exoskeleton was attached to his ballistics vest. His uniform was beige and olive colored with additional armor plating at the joints. He checked his pouches for inventory. His pistol in a front holster on his vest and his Hemlok BF-R at his side. "All systems checked. We are green across the board."

"Joker, status on touch down?"

"Ten minutes, Major."

"Did did anyone spot us?"

"Cloaking's five by five."

"Good," The Major answered as he put on his helmet and ballistics shades. "EDI what's the situation on the liberation?"

"So far so good. We've been gaining ground slowly on all fronts but the southern. Allied forces seem to have run into exceptionally heavy resistance there, but they're making progress."

"What about support?"

"Fleet has begun dropping drones within enemy perimeters and vehicles at designated landing zones. Oblivion drones make up the bulk of air support as enemy AA batteries are still operational within city limits."

"Understood." Shinichi checked the touchpad on his left arm before facing his team; Fredericks, Burt Copeland, Sarah Campbell and Bethany Westmoreland - all good soldiers. They too were dressed in the same get-up as he.

"All right people, listen up. Our objective is to capture a high value target for interrogation. Look for any signs, difference in uniform, hand gestures, who's relaying orders, anything."

"Yes sir!"

"Major, we're twenty meters above ground. Opening hangar bay doors." Joker informed. They were hovering above a field in one of Shanxi Capital's parks.

"Ready men?" Shinichi asked rhetorically before yelling. "WELCOME TO HELL!" He bent down as he landed in the grass below. His men following shortly after.

"Bucephalus, engage cloaking and maintain an altitude of 300 kilometers. You're our eyes in the sky."

"Roger that, Major."

"Okay people, cloaks on and stay frosty," Shinichi grinned as he pulled up his scarf, covering half of his face. His shades' heads up display online as he scanned the area. "We're going hunting."

**Codex - United Systems Armed Forces  
Starfleet**

Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory and military service maintained by the United Systems Armed Forces. The fleet's primary functions include; the advancement of knowledge concerning the Galaxy and its inhabitants, the advancement of science and technology and the military defense of the United Systems and its interests. The fleet consist of several ship classes varying in size and function.

_Cruisers_ make up a large component of the fleet. Fast and agile with enough phaser banks and photon torpedoes to take on a small fleet on its own. Almost all cruisers have been replaced by the current Constitution-class as of 2385. Constitution-class cruisers do not hold a contingent of fighters, but do house several squadrons of Oblivion fighter drones. The cruisers are white in color. 725 meters from bow to aft - in this case the warp nacelle exhaust - and 190.5 meters tall.

_Dreadnaughts_ are the heavy hitters of the fleet. Relatively new to the United Systems as they were first proposed at the start of the 24th century. The current type of Starfleet dreadnaught is the Vengeance-class. Massive vessels with black hulls, twice the size of the Constitution-class, three times as fast and with ten times the firepower. An advanced warp drive enables the vessel to engage other ships in warp.

_Carriers_ unlike the aesthetically pleasing cruisers and dreadnoughts, are massive blocky ships used by both Starfleet and the other armed forces to ferry troops and equipment across the Galaxy. Carriers have a rectangular like body with two kite shield formed vectoring engines on each side - in addition to their rear engines used for spaceflight.

_Destroyers_ like carriers are massive and blocky with a sloped hull design. Destroyers are the backbone of Starfleet and capable of atmospheric actions due to its small size. They are primarily used as escorts and troop transports in battle groups.

**Titans**

Titans are massive bipedal mechs used by the United Systems for ground side missions. They have superior maneuverability than tanks and are ideal for urban combat. Titans are controlled by the elite pilots of the United Systems Armored Corps (**USAC**). Pilots are highly-trained cybernetically enhanced soldiers, capable of running at superhuman speed and quickly traverse obstacles with the use of jetpacks in order to attain superior mobility across a battlefield. Raining hell on ground forces atop of buildings and structures. Pilots are considered the elite of the elite and it is not unusual to see one, single-handedly take on entire platoons of infantry and come out the victor.

* * *

So that was the second chapter.

Just going to say that I'm sorry for the long wait, I'm juggling this story with Star Wars fic - Force Rising - as well as exams so the next update might take some time. You should most likely expect a months wait per chapter.

Anyway thank you for reading and Standby for an Update. :-)


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